Holder assembly for a socket

ABSTRACT

A holder assembly of the present invention includes a rail body and at least one holder. The holder is slidably disposed in a rail of the rail body, and it includes a base and a controller. The controller is axially movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the base and is rotatable about a rod body of the base, so as to selectively hold a socket thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the hand tool field, and more particularly to a holder assembly for a socket.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Most of the hand tools can be stored in a tool box or a tool bag. Some hand tools, especially sockets and tools with sockets disposed on at least one of their ends, can be temporarily disposed on a holder for the user to quickly reach.

Such holder is disclosed in references such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,874, which includes storage apparatus for tool sockets. The storage apparatus includes a rotatable body and a base. The rolatable body has a tab that is movable in the guide channel, thus selectively hold a socket thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide holder assembly that its holder is slidably in the rail body thereof.

To achieve the above and other objects, a holder assembly of the present invention includes a rail body and at least one holder. The rail body has an elongated plate. Two side plates extend upward from both sides of the elongated plate respectively, and two lateral flanges respectively extends from distal ends of the side plates toward each other. A rail is defined between the elongated plate, the side plates and the lateral flanges, and the rail has a rail opening defined between the lateral flanges. The at least one holder is slidably disposed in the rail. Each holder includes a base, a controller, a resilient element and a ball member. The base has a rod body extending through the rail opening from a top face of the base. A notch is axially formed on a periphery of the rod body and has a shallow first portion and a deep second portion. The controller is axially movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the base and is rot at able about the rod body. The controller has a sleeve body extending through the rail opening from the top face thereof. The sleeve body has an axial bore axially defined therethrough for the rod body to insert therein, and has a side bore transversely defined thereon for the ball member to receive therein. At least one protrusion is disposed on the top face of the controller to selectively abut against a bottom surface of one of the lateral flanges. The resilient element is disposed between the base and the controller.

Thereby, the holder is slidable with respect to the rail body, and a socket can be detachably held on the holder. When the socket is to be removed from the holder, the user can directly rotate the socket, thus the ball member makes the controller to rotate as well until the controller moves from the second position to the first position. Once the controller is moved to the first position, the socket can be removed from the holder since the ball member no longer engages with the socket any more.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a breakdown drawing showing a holder assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plane view showing a holder assembly as its controller locates at the first position;

FIG. 3 is a profile showing a holder assembly as its controller locates at the first position;

FIG. 4 is a top plane view showing a holder assembly as its controller locates at the second position;

FIG. 5 is a profile showing a holder assembly as its controller locates at the second position;

FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a holder assembly with multiple holders.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3. A holder assembly of the present invention includes a rail body 10 and at least one holder 20.

The rail body 10 has an elongated plate, two side plates and two lateral flanges 11. The side plates extend upward from both sides of the elongated plate respectively. The lateral flanges 11, on the other hand, respectively extend from distal ends of the side plates toward each other. A rail 12 is defined between the elongated plate, the side plates and the lateral flanges 11, and the rail 12 has a rail opening defined between the lateral flanges 11. A magnet layer can be disposed on an outer surface of the elongated plate, such that the rail body 10 can be attached to a magnetic surface.

The holder 20 is slidably disposed in the rail 12, and the holder 20 includes a base 30, a controller 40, a resilient member 60 and a ball member 44.

The base 30 has a top face and a bottom face. A rod body 31 extends through the rail opening from the top face of the base 30. A notch 32 is axially formed on a periphery of the rod body 31, and the notch 32 has a shallow first portion and a deep second portion, i.e. a depth of the first portion is smaller than that of the second portion. Preferably, a gradient between the first and second portions is substantially constant so that the notch 32 has a smooth configuration.

The controller 40 is axially movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the base 30, and the controller 40 is rolatable about the rod body 31. The controller 40 also has a top face and a bottom face. A sleeve body 41 extends through the rail opening from the top face of the controller 40. An axial bore 42 is axially defined through the sleeve body 41 for the rod body 31 to insert therein. A side bore 43 is transversely defined on the sleeve body 41 and communicates with the axial bore 42 for the ball member 44 to receive therein. The notch 32 of the rod body 31 faces the side bore 43. At least one protrusion 45 (two in the present embodiment) is disposed on the top face of the controller 40 to selectively abut against a bottom surface of one of the lateral flanges 11. Preferably, each protrusion 45 has a slanted upper surface to abut against the bottom surface of one of the lateral flanges 11, such that the controller 40 can be rotated effortlessly. In addition, a socket 50 or a tool having a socket disposed at one end thereof can be held by the holder 20, as shown in FIG. 6. More specifically, the socket 50 must have an engaging bore for the sleeve body 41 to receive therein. Besides, the engaging bore has a groove for the ball member 44 to selectively engage therewith.

The resilient element 60 is disposed between the base 30 and the controller 40 to urge the base 30 and the controller 40 apart. Thus the bottom face of the base 30 abuts against the elongated plate, and the upper face of the controller or the protrusion(s) 45 abuts against the bottom surface(s) of the lateral flange(s) 11.

Please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. As the controller 40 locates at the first position, the top face of the controller 40, rather than the protrusions 45, abuts against the bottom surfaces of the lateral flanges 11. As such, the first portion of the notch 32 corresponds to the side bore 43, pushing the ball member 44 to protrude from the side bore 43 to engage with the socket 50. Therefore, the socket 50 is held on the holder 20.

Please refer to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 next. Due to the engagement of the ball member 44, the socket 50 can be rotated along with the controller 40. That is, the protrusions 45 can be moved to abut against the bottom surfaces of the lateral flanges 11 respectively, thus moving the controller 40 to the second position. As such, the second portion of the notch 32 corresponds to the side bore 43, receiving the ball member 44 in the side bore 43 and the second portion, i.e. the ball member 44 disengages from the groove of the socket 50. Therefore, the socket 50 can be removed from the holder 20. 

1. A holder assembly for a socket, comprising: a rail body, having an elongated plate, two side plates extending upward from both sides of the elongated plate respectively, two lateral flanges respectively extending from distal ends of the side plates toward each other, a rail being defined between the elongated plate, the side plates and the lateral flanges, the rail having a rail opening defined between the lateral flanges; at least one holder, slidably disposed in the rail, each holder comprising a base, a controller, a resilient element and a ball member, the base having a top face and a bottom face, a rod body extending through the rail opening from the top face of the base, a notch being axially formed on a periphery of the rod body, the notch having a first portion and a second portion, a depth of the first portion being smaller than that of the second portion, the controller being axially movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the base, and the controller being rotatable about the rod body, the controller having a top face and a bottom face, a sleeve body extending through the rail opening from the top face of the controller, an axial bore being axially defined through the sleeve body for the rod body to insert therein, a side bore being transversely defined on the sleeve body and communicating with the axial bore for the ball member to receive therein, the notch of the rod body facing the side bore, at least one protrusion being disposed on the top face of the controller to selectively abut against a bottom surface of one of the lateral flanges, the resilient element being disposed between the base and the controller to urge the base and the controller apart; wherein as the controller locates at the first position, the protrusion does not abut against the bottom surface of one of the lateral flanges, and the first portion of the notch corresponds to the side bore, pushing the ball member to protrude from the side bore; wherein as the controller is rotated for the protrusion to abut against the bottom surface of one of the lateral flanges, the controller moves to the second position, and the second portion of the notch corresponds to the side bore, receiving the ball member in the side bore and the second portion.
 2. The holder assembly of claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a slanted upper surface to abut against the bottom surface of one of the lateral flanges.
 3. The holder assembly of claim 1, wherein a gradient between the first portion and the second portion is substantially constant.
 4. The holder assembly of claim 2, wherein a gradient between the first portion and the second portion is substantially constant.
 5. The holder assembly of claim 1, wherein a magnet is disposed on an outer surface of the elongated plate.
 6. The holder assembly of claim 2, wherein a magnet is disposed on an outer surface of the elongated plate.
 7. The holder assembly of claim 3, wherein a magnet is disposed on an outer surface of the elongated plate.
 8. The holder assembly of claim 4, wherein a magnet is disposed on an outer surface of the elongated plate. 